I've been shooting my Howett Hunter @ 50# all winter in the basement. Wondering if I should buy a heaver bow for deer hunting this fall, say 60#. Does anyone think there will be advantages to a heaver draw weight. Should I expect to be able to shoot slightly longer? Now, with my 50# bow, I'm thinking I'm pretty much limited to 25 yd shots. It's shooting very nicely for me. Do I really need more draw weight than that? I'm wondering what the trade offs are - the plusses and the minuses.
I guess it depends on you. If you can handle 60# easily then it should be fine but remember on those cold days it's all together different. Over the years I've shot from 71# on down, right now I'm at 52# and don't feel I've given up anything at all.. It really boils down to a razor sharp broadhead and putting the arrow where it need to be. Unless you're going after really large game I don't consider higher poundage as important as the previous mentioned factors. Good Hunting woodsman
Woodsman made a great reply to your questions, solid advise. 50 pounds Is more then enough but If you fully believe you can handle 60 pounds and still keep your good form why not give It a try. You'll know after shooting a while If It's just too much.
50# is enough for almost any game animal in North America. Fred Eichler completed his Grand Slam using a Palmer 54# recurve which included Grizzly bear and Moose. A new 60# bow would also include the expense of new arrows. For a heavier bow you'll need heavier spined arrows. The jump from 50# to 60# can be quite a bit but quite doable. Not meaning to insult your knowledge, but is your draw length actually 28"? Because one inch of draw length can vary draw weight 3 lbs up or down. As far as getting a new bow, I am a big, BIG fan of owning many bows. I have 17 right now, no 16 I just sold one.
My draw length has held steady for years at 29 1/4". My bow is rated 50# at 28". I figure I'm actually shooting about 53 to 54#. (I really don't need to know exactly what the draw weight is). Just read an article by Ted Nugent on this subject. He can't see the virtue in more bow weight. He shoots 45# to 50# intentionally, because it allows a smoother, more steathly draw. So, I can save on the bow, and all new arrows. Thanks for your help.
I've got a longbow that is 61# and a recurve that is 63#. I can hold that recurve back for over a minute and i've had to do just that on several occassions. but that longbow....i might can hold it back 20 seconds. its amazing the difference a bow can make. I recently invested in a 51# longbow. and i absolutely love it. its fast, its smooth, and its quiet.
